Almost Perfect
by Miss Spaceship
Summary: They say all situations that seem too good to be true almost always end in tragedy. This was a lesson that Ziphania Saturian learned the hard way. With the sudden plot twist to her storybook relationship catching her off guard, will the intervention of a young man steer her back, or is it all a dream? (Warning: Suicidal thoughts in the story, avoid if you don't like that!)
1. Chapter 1

Hey! I decided to start on a new story, kind of got stagnant on the other one, but this one has been playing on my mind for a while. I must warn you, there will be some triggering items to read, and I'll mark those chapters ahead of time for the readers who don't cope well with it, and wish to avoid reading that type of literature. Hope everyone enjoys this!

**Disclamer: I do not own Dragonball Z, like at all. Just the custom characters!**

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Heavy rain drenched West City. In the hum of rush hour, vehicles, and people alike buzzed along, getting into the groove of their evening routine. April hasn't been very forgiving, weather wise, and the people who huddled close to their umbrellas and rain jackets alike, dipping into stores and shops alike. The gentle aroma of coffee and pastries spilled out of _Fresca's Coffee Creamery_, centralized in the middle of the busy area of West City University. Inside, a person could sit down on a plush lounge chair to chat with a friend, study in a group on one of the many round sturdy oak tables, accented nicely with equally sturdy, yet comfortable oak chairs, or curl up with a date to enjoy the gelato that was served by happy baristas.

One of the crown jewels of the shop was a lovely and vibrant 20 year old girl. Unlike her co workers, customers and regulars alike asked for her. She was crafty with her drinks, mixing up a delicious combination of boldness and flavor simply by looking at the person who requested it. She was a masterpiece on her own. Her voice was sweet, matching her lovely chocolate cream skin. Her curly brown hair was tucked neatly into a messy/neat side braid that draped over her shoulder, falling just above her belly button, curly fly aways tickling her bright grey eyes. Though short, the girl was curvy, or as some would dub her, "chubby." She let none of that get in the way though. People would just have to see her smile and know that Ziphania would take care of them.

Full time college student by day, barista at night, and on occasion, assisting her father at his company, Ziphania Saturian had her hands full, but always had time for those that she loved and cared for. After filling a cup of caramel and raspberry cream coffee, she handed it to her co worker Marc before walking to the other side of the counter, signaling that she was done for the day.

"That's it for me! I've gotta get started on my paper, or else I'll never have time to write it!" Marc smiled to her, flashing her brilliant white teeth from his pale peach lips, with equal sparkle shining from his lovely hazel eyes. The man, standing at almost 6'5", stood out in the coffee shop alongside his tiny friend. He was a fairly handsome man, wavy auburn hair tucked neatly behind his head in a pony tail, causing the rest to fall down his back in waves just at the tip of his shoulder blades. His work shirt clung to his frame, the word _Fresca's _ dancing across his chest. The shirt spilled over his chest and waist, neatly tucked in the band of his dark blue jeans. Bits of gelato and cream splattered on the man's shirt and pants, smeared just gently wherever his hands and the product would splash off of him.

"Alright, Zizi. I'll bring you over a cup of tea in a minute." With a voice as thick and sweet as honey, he gave her a thumbs up before turning to the next line of orders that needed to be filled. She smiled, giving him a gentle nod before plopping down at a table that sat in the far end of the shop. Ziphania loved this corner, since it gave her a great view of the action around her. She people watched on occasion, but the hum of the place gave her a great sense of calm. Sometimes, she would sit in her father's office, listening in on one of his conference calls while she took a test, since the background conversation fueled her. It was strange, but she liked it. After plopping her laptop onto the table, she began to type away, not noticing the cup of tea that Marc placed next to her. What she did notice was a familiar figure walk into the shop, throwing off all hopes of her gaining any type or progress within the room.

Though the shop was busy, everything else fell silent.

A tall man walked in, cloaked in deep navy blue p-coat, grey dress pants, and black dress shoes. A large hand ran through short brown hair, tousling a few wet strands away from his face. As he surveyed the room, emerald green eyes peered around his surroundings, searching for something or someone that he was looking for. Alec, Ziphania's long time boyfriend of four years, frequented the shop back when it just sold coffee. She was a server at the time since she just got the job, serving coffee to the customers personally when they first crossed paths. After talking until the shop closed, the two hit it off fairly well, beginning their long, but equally stressful relationship just a month after meeting. Her family didn't care for him, but his family adored her, mostly for her family's wealth. Alec didn't seem phased by it, or at least he came off as if it didn't matter. With a name like Saturian, the girl had enough power alone to shut down the entire block of shops in the area alone. Only one other family name carried such power...

Tugging at his jacket, a woman held out an umbrella to Alec, placing it in his hand before sliding off her jacket. The woman wore a beautiful royal blue a lined dress that flared just above her stockinged knees. On her feet were a pair of shiny black mary jane shoes. She wasn't fairly good looking, but the two children she seemed to smuggle on her chest was more than enough to grab attention. The woman was also fairly thin, almost too thin. It raised suspicion, causing one to question whether or not her breasts were real, but as she walked, the answer became perfectly clear. She flicked her bleach blonde hair to her back, causing a few strands to fall to the ground behind her. Her obviously contacted blue eyes flashed around the room as well, locking onto Marc. The girl smiled at him, causing Marc to cower, averting his eyes to the other side of the room. Growing somewhat satisfied with her actions, Amelia turned to Alec, giving his collar a gentle tug, pulling him in for a kiss.

Ziphania dropped her mug. Did this vile woman really kiss her man in front of her? Had they known that she was here? Alec had to, she told him specifically that she was going to be here for a few hours after work to finish her paper! Standing to her feet, Ziphania walked over to the pair in a quickened pace. She was going to get answers, one way or the other. Marc and another co worker of theirs darted over to the door, grabbing hold of the emotionally driven woman before she could do any more damage than the man in front of them could. Alec noticed the two closing in, then turned to see his tiny girlfriend charging towards him. She was stopped just before she could do anything, but the anger in her eyes gave it away.

"Zia, darling! I didn't know you were here! Amelia and I were just-" A hand met his cheek, tossing his well defined face to dart off to the side. The slap echoed in the entire room, causing everyone to turn and look at them. Marc held onto his frantic friend, holding her arms as well as he could, but was finding it to be difficult. The petite beauty threw herself in her friend's arms, feeling her temper rise with each passing second.

"Alec, just what the hell do you think you're doing?"


	2. Chapter 2

As always, I only own the OC's of this story. Enjoy!

"Zi, you really should calm down." Marc muttered to her, feeling his grip slowly fail.

Alec said nothing. Ziphania stared at the man, her eyes burning with questions that flew through her mind as fast as they popped up. Everyone watched the man as he reached in his pocket, shuffling around a few of the items that lay in there. It stopped momentarily, reappearing once more. Alec tossed a key to Ziphania, causing the small piece of metal to bounce off of her chest and onto the ground. He turned, linking his arms with Amelia.

"I'm moving in with Amelia. All of my stuff is out. I let the landlord know that you'll be taking care of the place. Oh yeah, that's right. You've always taken care of the rent. Thanks for the free ride."

Ziphania, Marc, their co worker, and other onlookers just watched the man as he sauntered out of the cafe. The woman by his side cast a gaze to Alec, then to Ziphania, a cross of emotions playing on her face. Soon, they were outside once more. Letting her go, Marc stood by his friend's side, caressing her shoulders as she just stood there, her gaze never leaving the door. In that moment, if the world stopped, she wouldn't have minded much. The man she devoted nearly every second of her life to for years just cast her aside as if she were nothing. Every emotion that could have been felt was felt. 'How could he? Why did he? With that girl? Does he understand how rude that was? Why, after everything that I gave to him, did he think it would be the best thing to leave me?! ME!'

"Tch, figures." Was all that she could say in retort.

Marc turned to her, but didn't know what to say. She scooped the key off of the ground, clinging to the metal tightly, causing the grooves to dig into the palm of her hand. Visibly shaken, Ziphania walked to the table she sat at, grabbed her things, then walked out. Marc walked towards the door after her, spinning his friend on her heel to face him. Giving him the best smile she could muster at this point. Trying as hard as she could to appear as if she was fine, because if she didn't show it, everyone would know it. It's a lie, it's all a lie. Apparently, the past several years of her life were a lie. He gave her the best hug he could at this point.

"Call me if you need anything, Zizi, I mean it." The beautiful man smiled down at her, hazel eyes dazzling with warmth, trying to soothe the broken soul that rested in his arms as best as he could. She couldn't help but be grateful to him. Out of everyone she has known, Marc was the one who would always come to her aid when she needed him, and she loved him for that. Zia thought of ways to thank him for his kindness later. Sliding her jacket on, she gave him a nod, smiling at him before she walked out of the coffee shop.

Walking around the city with no clear idea where to go, Ziphania made her way through groups of people. She didn't know what to do. Everything that she has come to know was finished. She didn't want to go home. Home was where the pain was. Was all of her things still there? Did he break anything? At least have the common courtesy to leave her anything? Water dripped off of her thick hair, gracing her face with droplets that her eyes couldn't seem to produce. Though she was shocked, this wasn't the first time that Alec has done this to her. Through their relationship, Alec proved to be the lowest of lows when it came to men. Her father helped the man out by giving him a job when he couldn't find anything. She would visit him, but found that different women would walk out of his office, adjusting their clothes as they left. When she questioned him about it, he retorted with a closed fist on multiple occasions. Xavier, Ziphania's father wanted to fire him on multiple occasions, but finding that having a spectacular record at work wasn't a just cause to get rid of him. Putting him in jail was out of the question. No matter how many times she would stumble into her parent's home after he threw her out of the apartment, locking her out of their home, or just pushing her out of a moving car, she would go back. No matter how many women would walk out as she was walking in, she never left.

She found herself on the roof of her father's corporate office, right in the heart of West City. Not knowing how she got there, but not questioning it, she just stood still, letting the rain drench her body. The steady beat of the rain seemed to drown out the sounds that echoed through the city. Car horns, engines, and even people seemed to quiet down. Her world seemed to shut down slowly, the warm embrace of a familiar friend snuck up on her in the silence. So caught up in her own world, Ziphania didn't notice the man who stood there with her.


	3. Chapter 3

The usual, don't own him, just my oc's.

Trunks Brief stood on the roof of Saturian Industries, inhaling the cigarette that he pinched in between his slender fingers. He had a long day, bouncing from school straight to his second job at Capsule Corporation. Vibrant blue eyes gazed lazily at his surroundings, peeking just gently behind half hooded lids. Thick straight lavender strands of hair stuck to his tanned forehead, parting itself as raindrops dripped off of the locks, water droplets landing on his shoulders, neck, and face. A eggshell white shirt clung messily to his frame while black slacks draped his muscular legs. Some people worked themselves to the bone for the physique this man was born with, though he still trained on occasion with his father to keep it up. All in all, he was a very handsome man, but shied away from the attention his looks gave him.

His mother insisted that he start working in the company, but from the ground up, just to show the people who worked for her that he wouldn't inherit the company based on his last name alone. Although he originally planned on doing that, he would never let his mother know of it, giving her the satisfaction of telling her only son how to run his life. She meant well, though. Bulma Briefs was a hard working woman, and only wanted to make sure that her son had the same experiences she did as well. Though she was a genius, her son seemed to be a duplicate of her father, and she loved him even more for it. At times, it seemed as if she smothered him, wanting to make sure he lived his life, but got the best out of it at times, which seemed to weigh too much on the young man. Who could blame her, though? After the death of his younger sister, Bulma decided that one may just be enough. His father seemed to think the same, causing the older man to solidify a bond with him.

Some may say that it's normal for a father and son to be close, to have a unique type of relationship together. It would make sense, only if your father wasn't the heir to a long gone race of alien warriors. Saiyans were known to be ruthless, to have little heart for their families. Vegeta was the last Prince of the Saiyan race, hoping that one day all of his efforts and training would build him into being a great king like his father. Though, that was taken from him in one fell swoop of a maniacal man's hands. Before that, Vegeta and his father weren't very close, he being off on missions for most of the time, while his father took care of diplomatic issues for the kingdom. When they were together, they never really talked much, nor did they do much. Each had their own world, but that was about it. When Trunks was born, Vegeta seemed indifferent to the idea of being a father, going off and doing his own thing just as his own father had to him. The pull to be closer to his son began after the battle for Earth was fought against a creature by the name of Buu. When he died, the prince told himself that he would try harder with his son, so long as there was nothing else to come in between them. When the dust settled and the battle was won, he kept his promise, training the young boy more, listening to his thoughts, and parting some wisdom to him when he felt it was right. After Bulla's passing, the family pulled together, trying their hardest to comfort each other at the loss of the young child.

Five years later, though the wounds and the mourning seemed to get easier, Trunks found it hard to let her go completely. In the fast pace of his schedule, he took the time to pull away from it, hiding out on top of the partner company building. He began coming here just two years ago, liking the quiet yet busy calm that the rooftop held. He's seen beautiful mountains, wondrous landscapes, seen almost every ocean and sea out there, but found true peace here. Finishing off the cigarette, Trunks tossed it to the side, letting the rain finish off the last of the embers. With his hands in his pocket, he decided to hang out a little bit longer before heading home. It was dark enough for him to get away with flying instead of driving home. His eyes took notice to the person who joined him on the rooftop, taking in the features of the petite girl. He trained his gaze to her, watching as she took a few steps closer to the edge. Something didn't seem correct, though. He could sense sadness, but there wasn't any indication of any physical harm that he could see from where he stood.

Ziphania smiled sadly, looking up to the sky, allowing the rain to wash over her face, smearing her make up down her doll like face. Her feet kept moving, stumbling over the rocks that were scattered on the roof, but never faltering on her mission. _'What's the point? Why is it that even after he threw me away, I still plan on waiting for him? Am I really that worthless? Why should I even continue? That's right... I shouldn't. I'm just so tired of it all anyway.'_ Her gaze focused on what was in front of her. Over the top of the roof, a sea of buildings, decorated in their lights scattered around her. She smiled weakly, upping her pace from a walk to a slow run to the edge of the roof. Ziphania had no intentions on stopping. Not this time. _'This is it! I'll show them all!'_ Lifting her leg up, the girl attempted to jump over the ledge, but was stopped as strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back and on top of the mysterious saviors body.

They lay there in silence. Trunks breathing harshly against her ear. Ziphania gazing up at the sky. The rain stopped, clouds seeming to approve of the rescue that happened. He sat up, towing the petite girl up in his arms, but didn't release his hold on her. She turned around in his lap, grey eyes meeting blue in a electric connection. After a few moments, those cloudy diamonds filled up with tears. Heavy, loud sobs raked the man's body, causing him to hold onto her tighter. Ziphania didn't know who he was, but was happy that he stopped her. She didn't understand why he did it though. She didn't know him from any other person in this city, and he didn't seem to know her all to well either.

All that mattered was that she lived, and that he saved her.

Ziphania finally stopped crying, her hard sobs becoming quiet sniffles. Trunks rubbed her back, resting his chin on her head. After a few moments, Ziphania looked up at him, being greeted with a warm smile from her rescuer. She smiled back, wiping the tears from her eyes as best as she could with her wet hands.

"I guess I could introduce myself."

"That would be nice."

She turned her gaze back to his, seeming to get lost in his eyes. Trunks smiled, trying his hardest to fight off a blush. He wasn't really keen on social situations, but he could make an exception.

Just this once.


	4. Chapter 4

Just to add, these chapters may seem a bit short since I'm doing a lot of copy/pasting from the original bit that I wrote this in. I hope that doesn't throw people off, but I really wanted to introduce this story to readers. I hope you all like it!

Like floodgates, Ziphania talked to him. She told him her entire story, explaining why she was here, what led her to this point, and everything in between. Trunks listened, nodding when he could, but never averting his attention from her. When she was done, he took his turn, sharing his story with her as well. The night seemed to take over them, and the cold wind that blew on the rooftop seemed to let them know that. Ziphania glanced at her phone, noticing a few missed calls from different people, a few texts from Marc, and a few emails from Alec, though, she really didn't want to answer the emails from Alec. They were probably all harsh worded things. Taking note of the time, the pair stood up, each rubbing their arms, trying to warm themselves up.

"Ah! It's so late! I'm sorry for holding you out this late, Trunks!" The lavender haired man only chuckled, placing his hand on Ziphania's back, leading her off of the roof and into the stairwell.

"Don't worry about it, Ziphania, as long as you are okay, I'm okay." Her smile faltered. She stopped walking, looking over to the slightly confused man.

"Why... why did you help me?"

Trunks only smiled.

"Because it felt right."

She studied him more, taking in his features, trying her hardest to sense dishonesty in his face, but found none. He held out his hand, that smile growing slightly as she placed her own against it. With that, he led her out of the building, their hands never releasing the other. They walked down the street, talking about what they did for a living, their hobbies, and where they go to school at. After discovering that they attended the same college, they made plans to meet the next day at _Fresca's _to continue their talk.

"So, where do you live? I want to make sure you get home safely." Ziphania sheepishly looked away, pointing her hand to the shabby yellow door that stood a few feet from them. The brownstone building stood tall, showing it's age defiantly against the incoming age of updates that surrounded it. It was one of the few reminders that told stories of what West City used to look like long ago. Trunks looked at the door, wincing at the bright color. She said nothing, walking up the stairs with her new friend in tow.

"It's the only thing I could afford at the time. My father was thoroughly upset, but he let me get it. I told him that I wanted to make it on my own without using any of the family fortune. What good would I be if I didn't know how to live without luxury, right?" She smiled sadly to him, turning to put her key shakily in the door knob. He watched as she turned the handle, stepping up into the shared hallway. Trunks held onto her arm, pulling her in for a warm hug. Ziphania, still growing accustomed to the new attention he paid to her, held him back.

Whoever this angel is, she was thankful that he showed up.

"So I'll see you tomorrow, right? _Fresca's_?"

"Yeah, I'll be working, but by the time you show up, I should be off." Trunks smiled, letting her go finally. He took a few steps down the stairs, turning back to look at her once more.

"I can't wait. I look forward to seeing you then."

Ziphania's cheeks were in flame. This man, this... Trunks Brief, he was just... almost perfect.

"y-Yeah, me either."

They waived to each other, Ziphania sliding the door shut, Trunks almost leaping off of the stairs. She giggled, leaping lightly in the air as she made her way to the door. He seemed to have a skip in his step, sauntering down the street.

The day couldn't have gone by any slower. Ziphania flew through her two classes, almost running to work to tell Marc the good news. Trunks couldn't have been any less interested in his classes, daydreaming the entire time. At work, it was even worse. After nearly falling down a flight of stairs, running into three doorways, knocking a stack of papers off of his secretary's desk, and nearly getting his head chopped off in his mother's lab, he was sent home early. Glancing down at his watch, he saw that it was only 4:30. They agreed to meet at 6. Trunks had to waste time somehow.

"Marc, I swear, he seemed to come out of nowhere! I was so close, and he just scooped me up and held me down." The grey eyed beauty bounced from one side of the bar to the other, filling in orders at a speed that didn't seem too human. It was a nice change from yesterday though. Her customers grew worried after she left. That fiasco, and the show her crude ex boyfriend put on was almost enough to make anyone sad for days after, but when she sashayed in this afternoon, a large smile dancing on her face, their worries seemed to melt away. Her curly brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail today, held together with a bright green ribbon. Marc listened to her entire story, not seeming to believe that she would even dare think to take her life, but was glad that someone stopped her. He scolded her for not calling him yesterday, but after her explanation, he accepted the lack of communication.

"That's just unbelievable. He even walked you home?" With a feverish nod, Ziphania placed the coffee on the counter, adding a straw and a few pieces of chocolate next to it. After ringing her customer up, she turned to face her friend. The smile that danced on her face was enough to make any man swoon.

"Yes. I didn't even know what to do with myself afterward! Coming home to an empty apartment was worth the few hours I got to spend with him. It was... magical." The tall man snickered, tossing a raspberry at his dreaming friend, bouncing it off of her cheek. She caught it in her hand, tossing the juicy fruit back at his face. After some playful back and forth, the duo got back into the swing of things.

"So, when's 'Mr. Magical' supposed to show up?" Snorting at the nickname, Ziphania mixed up a cappuccino, sprinkling cinnamon on top of it.

"He's supposed to be here by six. At this point, if he end's up blowing me off, I won't mind. He gave me enough to smile about for days now." Marc tossed her a sideways smile, scooping up vanilla gelato into a cup. Topping it off with sprinkles, strawberry syrup and whipped cream, he slid it down the counter to his partner. She put a spoon in the cup, handing it over to the customer who stood in front of her.

"Let's just hope he does."


	5. Chapter 5

I own no one but my OC's.

After changing his clothes three times, fixing his hair in different styles, smelling three different colognes, two different pairs of shoes, seven jackets, and one scarf later, Trunks decided on wearing a blue t-shirt, dark blue jeans, black and white Converses, and a black sweater. He skipped the scarf last minute, deciding that it was too warm for it still. Not wanting to come off as too desperate, nor wanting to come off as not caring, this outfit seemed perfect. The lavender haired man parked his car two blocks down from _Fresca's. _After driving by a few times to see if Ziphania was actually there, he spotted her bouncy ponytail and bright smile from the street. He also noticed the tall Greek god she was buzzing around too. He shook it off, not wanting to think too much about it. Walking towards the shop, Trunks had his hands in the pockets of his sweater, trying to get rid of the sweat that seemed to form on his palms. Why was he so nervous? He wanted today to go by so quickly, but when it was finally time to meet her again, he just wanted time to stop.

_'You got this, Brief!'_

Walking into _Fresca's_, Trunks was greeted by the warm aromas of coffee, ice cream, and baked goods. He hung his sweater on the coat rack that sat by the door, doing all that he could to avert his eyes from the counter. Marc noticed the new customer, smiling to himself. Ziphania apparently was telling the truth about the mystery man! Her back was turned away from the counter, so when Trunks finally came up to order, she had no clue. Marc smiled knowingly at Trunks, causing the man to blush. Marc tapped Ziphania on the shoulder, pointing to the person standing at the counter. Right on cue, she turned on her heel, smiling at the new customer.

"Hello! Welcome to _Fresca's_! How can-"

Her eyes locked onto his. Trunks smiled, causing Ziphania to drop the newly cleaned gelato scoop in her hand. In a few flustered movements, the beauty grabbed the scoop off the ground, handing it to Marc in a slight huff. Marc laughed at her, moving to the sink to clean it off as she swiped a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hi... You came." Ziphania and Trunks stared at each other, their smiles matching in intensity. Clearing her throat, grey eyes cast themselves to the side, trying her hardest to focus on her job. "Is there anything you would like to order today, sir?"

He chuckled, running a tanned hand through his lavender hair. "Yes, I would like two peppermint mocha hot chocolates, please. I'm supposed to be meeting a really sweet girl here today, and I figured that she would enjoy a warm drink after a long day at work."

"Oh, how cute!" Marc interrupted them, earning a soft jab to his side. "Don't worry about the order, Zizi, I'll take care of it. You're off work now anyway, right?"

"Yeah, My shift is done for the day. Are you sure you won't need any help?" With a nod, Marc turned to start making the hot chocolates, pouring milk into two mugs that he placed in front of him. She began tugging at the back of her apron, grabbing it in her hands to fold it.

"Don't worry about me, dear. You go ahead and get on with your day." Patting his shoulder, Ziphania placed her apron on a shelf that sat behind the counter, returning a few moments later to ring out Trunks, who never took his eyes off of her. With a sheepish smile, she returned to stand in front of him, hitting a few buttons on the register.

"Is there anything else that you would like today?" He shook his head, pulling out his wallet after seeing the total. After exchanging the cash, Trunks and Ziphania walked over to her favorite booth, sliding in to sit on the cushioned chairs. At first, they said nothing. She twiddled her fingers, he played with the bottom of his shirt. Marc came to place the mugs on the table, giving her a smile and a wink before turning to walk back behind the counter. A few sips later, Trunks began telling her about his day, skipping over the part where he nearly killed himself for the sake of sanity. Ziphania laughed, sharing her day, but finding that it wasn't as exciting as his day. They continued to discuss their likes and interests. Again, time caught up with them, not realizing that they sat in the little booth until closing. After cleaning the cups and saying goodbye to Marc, the duo walked out of the coffee shop, walking hand in hand down the street.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Trunks. That joke about the goose was absolutely hilarious!" With her arm locked around his, Zia pulled herself closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. A few curls graced his neck, tickling the bare flesh. Trunks stiffened at the touch, finding a low purr emitting itself in his throat. His cheeks painted red once more.

"Yeah, my best friend told me the joke. I figured you would like to hear it as well." He pulled her a little closer, bringing their bodies together as they strolled down the street, finding that they have made their way back to her apartment. Trunks never took his eyes off of her. When they approached the porch leading to her apartment, Ziphania reluctantly pulled away, stepping up two steps, then turned to face him. The look she gave him was contemplative. Though it was dark, her heather grey eyes stormed up, reflecting her thoughts like a projector. Before he could speak, she placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling sadly at him.

"Trunks, as much as I am enjoying myself with the time we have spent together, I don't think now is the right time for me to invest myself emotionally into someone new. I mean, for crying out loud, I nearly died yesterday, and all of this seems so surreal..." There it was. The words that he hoped she would never speak, but ultimately knew it would come out. Who could blame the girl? She was ultimately correct, but he couldn't help but want to fight for something to happen.

"Zizi, I understand how you feel, and I get why you are hesitant. I don't ever want to push you into anything that you wouldn't want to happen, so we can move at your pace. Let's take this time to learn more about each other before we do anything too sudden. How does that sound?" His reply was met with a raised eyebrow and even further distrust.

"How do I know what you say is true? What if you are just saying this to get me to be closer to you? How will I know that this isn't some clever ploy to get into my pants?" The accusations hurt, but they were expected. The lilac haired male decided to fight for it.

"You can trust me. I would never do anything to hurt you in one way or the other. I won't make promises, because those are meant to be broken, but I will give you my word. A man is only as strong as his word, no?"

Ziphania looked him up and down, taking in everything that he had to say, then accepted, pulling Trunks in for a tight hug. The position itself was a bit more intimate than either one of them would have expected, but it was welcomed none the less. When she stood on the stair, they had almost matched in height. Trunks rest his head in the curve of her neck, while Ziphania rest hers on his shoulder. He took in her scent, the smell of her perfume, Awapuhi ginger wafting off of her curly hair, the softness of her being. Not realizing that he was purring, Trunks pulled away abruptly, his cheeks painting a bright crimson color that was noticible even by street light. The woman, trying to cover her laugh, held her hand in front of her mouth, looking away bashfully before their eyes connected once more.

"I... I should go, but I've had fun so far, Trunks. Here's to hoping that things stay this way!" He nodded quickly, trying his hardest to shake off his embarassment. Finally she laughed, turning on her heel to walk up her stairs, casting a gaze to him before reaching the top.

"Goodnight, sweet prince."

Goddamnit, there was that blush again. He stammered his speech, clearing his throat, trying to get the fright out.

"Goodnight, my princess!"


End file.
